Due to the loads exerted on seat belts during impact, vehicle seat belts are typically mounted directly to the vehicle structure. In this regard, many systems have a belt retractor mounted to the vehicle floor pang with the belt webbing extending upwardly along the B-pillar of the vehicle to a D-ring mounted to the pillar. The webbing then extends downward to a belt and is connected to the vehicle floor adjacent to the retractor. A clasp is slidably movable between the end of the seat belt anchored to the vehicle floor and the D-ring on the B-pillar. A buckle is attached to the vehicle floor on the opposite side of the seat. When the clasp is pulled across the user and inserted into the buckle, the webbing forms a lap belt and a shoulder belt to retain the occupant in the seat assembly.
This seat belt arrangement has a number of drawbacks. For example, in four-door cars the mounting of the seat belt to the floor of the vehicle prevents the seat belt from moving with the rider when the vehicle seat is adjusted, with the passenger positioned in the seat. This results in the undesirable loosening or tightening of the seat belt about the rider.
In two-door cars the seat belt is typically secured from the wall of the vehicle to the rear of the door. When the vehicle seat is in a forward position, this can result in the seat belt being positioned an uncomfortable distance to the rear of the vehicle seat. Likewise, when the seat is in an extreme rearward position, the seat belt may be positioned too loosely on the occupant.
Numerous efforts have been made to address these problems by mounting the seat belt directly on the vehicle seat. In general, such arrangements have fallen into two general classes: a first, where the seat belt retractor is mounted within the frame of the bottom of the seat, with the retractor axis extending from side to side, and the seat belt webbing extending upwardly through the seat back to an upper roller or guide and then downward at an angle to the inner side of the seat, and a second, where the seat belt retractor is mounted either at the top or within the top of the vehicle seat back. Unfortunately, each of these prior art arrangements has a number of drawbacks.
Griswold, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,341 discloses a vehicle seat assembly with a seat belt retractor mounted at the bottom of the vehicle seat, with the axis extending from side to side within the frame of the seat. The seat back frame includes a hollow main beam along the outboard side of the seat, a bent tube forming an upper cross member and a lower cross member, an upright beam, and a diagonal brace. A seat belt retractor is attached to the slide rail assembly by a bracket so that the axis of the retractor extends generally perpendicular to the axis of the slide assembly, and the belt webbing extends upwardly from the retractor to the top of the upright beam where it extends through the upholstery.
Unfortunately, this structure is relatively complicated and is relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble. In addition, although the seat belt moves with the seat, it cannot be adjusted to accommodate the differing heights of the users.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,247 to Fujimori, et al., discloses a vehicle seat and seat belt arrangement wherein the retractor is mounted at the top of the vehicle seat back, with the axis of the retractor extending from side to side. As a standard retractor will lock if the seat belt is moved more than about approximately 4 degrees from a standard position, a standard seat belt retractor will not work in connection with this design. Although efforts are being made to develop an improved retractor, it would be desirable to use a standard low-cost retractor.
Fujimori also discloses the use of a separate brace arm attached to the seat back at the top and spaced from the seat back of the bottom to provide additional support for the seat back during impact. This requires a special mechanism to allow both the seat back and the bracing arm to recline during use and adds to the cost of the assembly. Again, the assembly would not appear to provide for adjustability to accommodate differences in heights of the wearers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,982 to Johnson, et al., discloses an adjustable belt guide and head rest assembly in which the seat belt is mounted on the vehicle seat back while permitting adjustability of the shoulder belt through adjustment of the vehicle head rest. The seat belt retractor is mounted within the frame of the seat bottom, with the retractor axis extending from side to side substantially perpendicular to the axis of the slider. The seat belt webbing extends upward through a roller mounted within the head rest at the top of a relatively heavy structural beam. To facilitate the movement of the shoulder belt guide assembly including the roller relative the beam section, a motorized adjustment system is provided.
As will be appreciated, this system is relatively complicated and expensive and has a relatively nonstandard appearance.
Thus, there is needed a simple, reliable, low-cost seat belt assembly and retractor system which can be conveniently operated regardless of the position of the seat with respect to the slider.
Applicant's invention is an improved vehicle seat and seat belt assembly in which the seat belt assembly is mounted directly to the vehicle seat to avoid changes in the position of the seat belt during adjustment of the seat. The vehicle seat and seat back assembly is particularly adapted to be manufactured using relatively simple and standard materials, at low cost while providing high strength and impact resistance and without significantly altering the external appearance of the vehicle seats.
One aspect of the invention is a vehicle seat and seat belt assembly including a first track, a second track, a platform slidable relative to the first track and second track, a belt guide, a seat belt retractor, a seat belt, a first latch member and a second latch member. The platform includes a seat bottom, a first bracket, a second bracket, a seat back, a first layer of upholstery and a second layer of upholstery. The seat bottom defines an upper surface, a first side, a second side, a front and a back. The first bracket is fixed relative to the seat bottom and is mounted on and slidable with respect to the first track. The second is bracket is fixed relative to the seat bottom and is likewise mounted on and slidable with respect to the second track. The seat back has a top end, a bottom end, a first side, a second side, a front face and a back face. The seat back is mounted on the seat bottom. The first layer of upholstery covers at least the first side, the second side and the front face of the seat back and defines a first interior envelope. The second layer of upholstery covers at least the first side, the second side and the upper surface of the seat bottom and defines a second interior envelope. The belt guide is mounted to the seat back external to the first interior envelope and the seat back retractor is mounted on the platform beneath the belt guide. The seat belt has a first end connected to the retractor and a second end secured to the platform proximate the first track. The seat belt extends upward from the retractor along the first side of the seat back and through the belt guide. The first latch member is slidably secured to the seat belt between the belt guide and the second end. The second latch member is secured to the platform proximate the second track. One of the first latch member and the second latch member is sized and shaped to receive and retain the other of the first latch member and the second latch member.
Advantageously, substantially all of the seat belt is mounted external the first and second interior envelopes. Desirably all of the seat belt is mounted external the first and second interior envelopes. Importantly, this facilitates the relatively easy and inexpensive upholstering and assembly of the seat assembly. Likewise, the web of the seat belt desirably extends flat along the first side of the seat back between the retractor and the belt guide. Advantageously, the retractor is mounted proximate the seat bottom and defines an axis of rotation which extends generally parallel to the first track. Desirably, the seat belt extends from the retractor through the belt guide toward the seat back. Again, this positioning facilitates the proper operation of the seat belt, both during normal use and in impact situations.
Another important aspect of the invention is the provision of a first member fixed to the seat back and a second member, the first member and second member sized and shaped to be movably retained by one another, wherein the belt guide is mounted on the second member. Desirably, the first member is fixed to the first side of the seat back proximate the top end. The first member and second member form a series of stations extending between the top end and the bottom end of the seat back and the assembly further includes a lock selectively preventing movement of the first member relative to the second member. Advantageously, the second member defines a horizontal axis about which the belt guide is rotatable. Importantly, this structural arrangement facilitates the adjustment of the seat belt relative the seat, to accommodate the individual passenger's size.
Advantageously, the seat back further comprises an external frame having an upper horizontal arm, a lower horizontal arm, a first vertical arm and a second vertical arm. The assembly desirably includes an internal reinforcing member. The internal reinforcing member is advantageously secured to the first vertical arm proximate the upper horizontal arm, the lower horizontal arm and the second vertical proximate the upper horizontal arm. Advantageously, the internal reinforcing member is substantially U-shaped. To minimize costs and increase strength, the internal reinforcing member desirably comprises a one piece integrally formed tube of substantially uniform cross-section.
Another important aspect of the invention is a vehicle seat and seat belt assembly including a first track, a second track, a platform slidable relative to the first track and the second track, a seat belt, a first latch member and a second latch member. The platform includes a seat bottom, a first bracket, a second bracket, a seat back, a first layer of upholstery, a belt guide, a first member and a second member. The first and second brackets are fixed relative to the seat bottom and are slidable with respect to the first track and second track, respectively. The seat back has a top end, a bottom end, a first side, a second side, a front face and a back face. The seat back is mounted on the seat bottom. The first layer of upholstery covers at least the first side, the second side and the front face of the seat back and defines a first interior envelope. The second layer of upholstery covers at least the first side, the second side and the upper face of the seat bottom and defines a second interior envelope. The first member is fixed to the seat back and the first and second member are sized and shaped to be movably retained by one another, with the belt guide being mounted on the second member. The seat belt retractor is mounted on the platform. The seat belt has a first end connected to the retractor and a second end secured to the platform so that the seat belt extends through the belt guide. A first latch member is slidably secured to the seat belt and the second latch member is secured to the platform with one of the first latch member and the second latch member being sized and shaped to receive and retain the other of the first latch member and the second latch member.
Another aspect of the invention is a vehicle seat and seat belt assembly including a first track, a second track, a slidable platform, a seat belt retractor, a seat belt, a first latch member and a second latch member. The platform is slidable relative to the first track and the second track. The platform includes a seat bottom, a first bracket, a second bracket, a seat back, a first layer of upholstery, a second layer of upholstery and a belt guide. The first and second brackets are fixed to the seat bottom and are slidable relative to the first track and the second track respectively. The seat back has a top end, a bottom end, a first side, a second side, a front face and a back face and the seat back is mounted on the seat bottom. The seat back includes an external frame, and an internal reinforcing member. The external frame includes an upper horizontal arm, a lower horizontal arm, a first vertical arm and a second vertical arm. The internal reinforcing member is secured to the first vertical arm proximate the upper horizontal arm, is secured to the lower horizontal arm and is secured to the second vertical arm proximate the upper horizontal arm. The first layer of upholstery covers at least the first side, the second side and the front face of the seat back and defines a first interior envelope. The second layer of upholstery covers at least the first side, the second side and the upper surface of the seat bottom and defines a second interior envelope. The belt guide is mounted to the seat back and the seat belt retractor is mounted on the platform. The seat belt has a first end connected to the retractor and a second end secured to the platform, with the seat belt extending through the belt guide. The first latch member is slidably secured to the seat belt and the second latch member is secured to the platform, with one of the first latch member and the second latch member being sized and shaped to receive and retain the other of the first latch member and the second latch member.
Advantageously, the reinforcing member is secured along a substantial portion of the length of the first vertical arm, the lower horizontal arm and the second vertical arm. Desirably, the internal reinforcing member is substantially U-shaped and comprises a one piece integrally formed tube. Advantageously, to minimize cost, the reinforcing member defines a substantially uniform cross-section.